START Treaty Ratified by Senate in 71-26 Final Vote

The New START treaty with Russia was ratified by the US Senate Wednesday in a 71-26 vote, handing President Barack Obama a victory on one of his top priorities in the lame-duck session of Congress.

Vice President Joe Biden presided over the Senate during the final vote. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also on the Senate floor during the vote.

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Under the terms of the treaty, which will last for 10 years and was signed by Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev back on April 8, the number of US and Russian warheads would be cut by a third and on-site inspections of nuclear weapons facilities will resume after a one-year suspension.